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Pity the Child Lyrics by Philip Casnoff

Chess (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

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[FREDDIE]
When I was nine, I learned survival
Taught myself not to care
I was my single good companion
Taking my comfort there
Up in my room, I planned my conquests
On my own, never asked for a helping hand
And no one would understand
I never asked the pair who fought below
Just in case they said "No"
Pity the child who has ambition
Knows what he wants to do
Knows that he'll never fit the system
Others expect him to
Pity the child who knew his parents
Saw their faults, saw their love die before his eyes
Pity the child that wise
He never asked, "Did I cause your distress?"
Just in case they said "Yes"
When I was twelve my father moved out
Left with a whimper, not with a shout
I didn't miss him, he made it perfectly clear
I was a fool and probably queer
Fool that I was, I thought this would bring
Those he had left closer together
She made her move the moment he crawled away
I was the last the woman told
She never let her bed get cold
Someone moved in, I shut my door
Someone to treat her just the same way as before
I took the road of least resistance
I had my game to play
I had the skill, and more, the hunger
Easy to get away
Pity the child with no such weapons
No defense, no escape from the ties that bind
Always a step behind
I never called to tell her all I'd done
I was only her son!
Pity the child, but not forever
Not if he stays that way
He can get all he ever wanted
If he's prepared to pay
Pity instead the careless mother
What she missed, what she lost when she let me go
And I wonder, does she know?
I'd never call—a crazy thing to do
Just in case she said "Who?"
Credits
Philip Casnoff

Philip Casnoff

About “Pity the Child” by Philip Casnoff

Read the complete lyrics to "Pity the Child" by Philip Casnoff from the album "Chess (Original Broadway Cast Recording)". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Musicals, Pop.

"Pity the Child" is performed by Philip Casnoff. from the album "Chess (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Pity the Child", explore more songs by Philip Casnoff using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Pity the Child" is credited to Philip Casnoff. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Pity the Child" appears on "Chess (Original Broadway Cast Recording)".

Visit the Philip Casnoff artist page at /artist/philip-casnoff for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.